Research report submitted to department of health Education and behavioral science, college of health Sciences, jimma university; in partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the degree of masters of public health in Health education and promotion.

Abstract

Background: Both AIDS and malnutrition are important killers in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO indicated that poor food consumption and food insecurity may disturb individual’s nutritional state and also affects adherence to antiretroviral drugs thus hindering management of the disease. Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore poor food consumption and adherence experiences of ART clients in Guraghae District of Butajira Town, 2015 G.C. Method: Phenomenological qualitative approach was used to explore lived experiences of ten poor food consumers of ART clients who have small composite score of food consumption. Criteria based sampling method was used to select the sample. Data was collected using interview guide, and ethical principles of voluntary participation and confidentiality was considered throughout the study. Field note and recorder was used and prolonged engagement was kept all over data collection. Data collection was terminated when saturation reached and analyze was supported by Atlas.ti software version 7. Data was broken down into discrete parts, closely examined and compared for similarities and differences Result: Most of the participants’ perception about balance diet was misunderstood. Majority of the participants believed that their food consumption condition became poor as a result of lack of asset, low level income, illness, large family size, food consumption increment due to ART, loss of partner and insufficient support. All of the participants mentioned that food scarcity is their main problem that worsens the illness condition, side effect of ART, emotional behavior and forget-ness of the participants which then lead them to non- adherence of ART. Attempts such as searching sources of food, fixing to less preferred and cheap food, skipping meal and using their more time on work were used by the participants as copying mechanism. Conclusion: Households of the participants were low income and their family size was large in relative to their income. Mostly they were sicken and lost their fixed asset including their home for their survival. Majority of them were windowed, faced difficulty to survive their household burden. The supports were not consistent and sufficient to overcome the food scarcity condition of the clients. Their food scarcity worsens their illness condition, side effect of ART, emotional behavior and forget-ness of the participants which then lead them to non- adherence of ART. Their copying mechanisms such as searching food, skipping meal and giving their children for source of income were not safe for their healthy life.